After shock defeat in Haryana, Congress seeks inquiry into complaints of 'discrepancies' in EVMs

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday demanded a thorough probe into "discrepancies" found in some Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the counting of votes of the Haryana assembly polls and demanded that such EVMs should be sealed and secured pending the inquiry.

A delegation of top Congress leaders comprising former chief ministers Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Ashok Gehlot and AICC leaders K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken and Pawan Khera, besides Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan, met with top Election Commission officials.

The delegation handed over a memorandum to the officials along with specific complaints from various constituencies in Haryana. Senior party leader Abhishek Singhvi joined the meeting online.

The Congress leaders alleged that there are at least 20 such complaints, including seven in writing, from as many assembly constituencies, with many referring to EVMs functioning at 99 per cent battery capacity whereas the average EVMs were found to be operating at 60 to 70 per cent battery capacity during counting.

The party has alleged "glaring discrepancies" related to some EVMs in the Haryana polls and urged the EC to conduct a probe.

"There are doubts about vote counting as Haryana results are surprising. Everyone believed that the Congress would be forming the next government in Haryana. When the counting of postal ballots took place, the Congress was winning, but when the counting of EVMs started, the opposite happened," former chief minister Hooda told reporters after the meeting.

He said the Congress will submit more complaints to the EC in the next few days. "The EC has assured us of looking into the matter," Hooda said after meeting the CEC and other election commissioners.

Bhan also said that doubts have been created about the veracity of the counting exercise in Haryana and they should be cleared by the EC.

Khera said party leaders Maken and Singhvi have urged the EC to conduct a thorough probe, pending which it should ensure that the EVMs with discrepancies are sealed and secured till then.

"We apprised the Election Commission about 20 complaints that have come to us, including seven written complaints from seven constituencies with some EVM machines functioning at 99 per cent battery capacity, while some EVM Machines were functioning below 60-70 per cent battery capacity," he said.

"Maken and Singhvi have demanded that the EVMs for which complaints have been made be sealed and secured till the inquiry into the whole matter is completed. We also told the EC that in the next 48 hours, we will make available to them other complaints that are being compiled.

"All the machines for which complaints have been made should be sealed and secured till the inquiry is completed. The EC has told us that they will give a written reply to us on all constituencies after consulting the respective returning officers," Khera added.

"Counting of votes in a fair, transparent and accountable manner is the hallmark of any electoral process that claims to be in consonance with the principles of free and fair elections and the doctrine of the level-playing field as envisaged by the Constitution," the party memorandum to the EC said.

"Considering that the said issue could potentially alter the results for some Assembly constituencies, we request that this Hon'ble Commission take urgent measures and order for an enquiry on this issue. In fact, subject to the enquiry report, the Hon'ble Commission should issue requisite directions regarding the counting of polls and final results," it also said.